Graduate Seminar

ANSC 5100

Fall 2009

Instructor:

John J. McGlone, PhD

Professor

Animal and Food Sciences

Animal and Food Sciences Building, Room 204

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 79409-2141

 

john.mcglone@ttu.edu

 

1-806-742-2805, ext. 246

 

www.pii.ttu.edu

 

Meeting Time: Thursday 12:30-1:50 pm Room: Meat Lab 100

 

 

Learning Outcomes:

v  To learn about research areas of sustainable animal and food production that contribute to solving world hunger

v  To be able to present a meaningful, science-based seminar.

v  Learning outcomes will be assessed attendance and participation in discussions, and a seminar graded by peer graduate students and faculty.

 


University policies:

Attendance:

v  Be on time for class

v  Please turn off cell phones and put them away.

v  If you are going to be absent from a class – please tell the instructor ahead of time (see more details below)

 

Legitimate Absences: 

Written documentation for legitimate absences for missed exams must be provided prior to anticipated absences.  Illness or family emergencies must also have written documentation.  Notify the instructor as soon as possible.  In case of immediate, extreme emergencies notify the Dean of Students Office and your academic advisor and they will notify all of your instructors for you.

 

A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known to the instructor prior to the absence.  A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holiday shall be allowed to take an examination scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence.  A student may not be penalized for the absence but the instructor may respond appropriately if the student fails to complete the assignment satisfactorily.

 

ADA Statement:

Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary accommodations.  Students should present appropriate verification from Student Disability Services (AccessTECH).  No requirement exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved university procedure.  Classroom accommodations will be made for students with disabilities at the request of the student.

 

Scholastic Dishonesty:

It is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to foster a spirit of complete honesty and high standards of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offence and renders the offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension.  Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misinterpreting facts, and any act designed to give unfair academic advantage to the student or the attempt to commit such an act. Further information can be found in the Student Handbook.

 


Assessment

 

Attendance and Participation:

 

Enrolled graduate students are expected to attend each week.  Non-enrolled department graduate students are also expected to attend.

 

Graduate students will be allowed one unexcused absence.  Beyond the one allowed unexcused absence, 10% will be deducted per unexcused absence.  Excused absences must be approved before scheduled classes and will include any approved university function where the graduate student is needed to be at the event.  Enrolled graduate students are encouraged to schedule research during times other than seminar.   At times, this is unavoidable.   If graduate students are involved in their thesis research or are critical for the conduct of other student’s research, and if their adviser sends an e-mail indicating the need for an enrolled student to be absent on a given day, then this will count as an approved or excused absence. 

 

Seminar:

Enrolled graduate students will give a seminar.  The seminar will be graded by peer graduate students (not for a grade) and by the faculty in attendance. 

 

Students must prepare and abstract of the paper.  The abstract is to contain a full citation of the paper and each of the following in 1-2 sentences each: (a) Introduction (what is the problem or situation that the research hopes to study), (b) the hypothesis and objectives of the work, (c) the methods, (d) results, and (e) conclusions.  This format is shorter than the format of abstracts in most journals.  The abstract will be 5 to 10 sentences long. 

 

The abstract is to not exceed 200 words.  Students will bring copies of the abstract to class on the day of the seminar.  Students will e-mail a copy of the full paper and to the instructor and to their advisor by September 17th.   The paper must be approved by both the student’s major professor and by the course instructor.  The paper must be related to the semester theme.  The abstract is due to the instructor for final approval by September 24th.

 

The seminar will be 12-15 minutes in length with 5 minutes for questions.  The seminar will be a presentation of a single research paper from a refereed paper. 

Semester theme: 

Sustainable animal and food production systems that promote safe, nutrition food and that prevent world hunger.

 

The selected paper must relate to feeding the world.  This includes feeding people in a broad sense.  Examples include, but are not limited to: Improving feed efficiency, use of by-products in animal feeds, food safety among poor people or in less developed countries, nutritional deficiencies among poor populations, improving human health when on marginal diets, infectious disease-nutritional interactions (especially among poor or less-developed peoples) and others.

 

 

A = 90 -100 %

B = 80 -89.9 %

C = 70 -79.9%

D = 60 -69.9 %

Below 60 % = Fail

 

General Schedule for Fall, 2009

Fall 2009
Faculty on Duty: August 24
Registration: August 25 – 26
First Class Day: August 27
Holidays: Sept. 7, Oct. 12 – 13
Nov. 25 – 27
Last Class Day: December 9
Final Exams: December 11 – 16
Commencement: December 18 – 19

 

Class schedule

(Schedule may change throughout the course of the semester)

Wk

Date

Class and lab topic

Comments

1

27-Aug

ACUC training; Dr. Tiffanie Brooks

 

2

3-Sep

Class organization & Dr. Julian Spallholtz; Arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh among poor and undernourished people

 

3

10-Sep

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, UC-Davis: Air quality as a part of sustainable livestock and poultry production systems.

John McGlone will host

4

17-Sep

Dr. Taylor Eighmy, VPR; A vision for research at TTU

 

5

24-Sep

Dr. Girish Ganjyal, Pepsico; Adjunct faculty candidate

Pawan Takhar will host

36

1-Oct

Student Seminars

 

7

8-Oct

Dr. Wade Nichols, Intervet; Adjunct faculty candidate

Leslie Thompson will host

8

15-Oct

Student seminars

 

9

22-Oct

Student seminars

 

10

29-Oct

Student seminars

 

11

5-Nov

Student seminars

 

12

12-Nov

Student seminars

 

13

19-Nov

Departmental Thanksgiving lunch

 

14

26-Nov

Thanksgiving break – no class

 

15

3-Dec

Student seminars

 

 


Graduate Student Seminar Evaluation

Fall, 2009

 

Graduate Student Name: _____________________________         Start time: _____

 

Graduate Student’s Major Professor: ____________________         End time:  _____

 

 

Item

  Score
   1-10
10 =best

 

Comments

Abstract, contents, clarity

 

 

Visual aid quality & clarity

 

 

Voice volume, diction, and clarity

 

 

Hypothesis and objectives

 

 

Scientific content  (methods & results)

 

 

Valid, clear  conclusions

 

 

Please give constructive overall comments, both positive and negative:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                Proposed Letter Grade ______

 

Evaluator (Circle 1):              Student                     Faculty

 

 

If faculty, sign evaluation form:     __________________________

 

Printed name of faculty:                 __________________________

(student reviewers may remain anonymous)